December 8, 2006, Newsletter Issue #21: Corporate Wellness Programs Beneficial to Both Employee and Employer

Tip of the Week

If you work for a large company, or are a government employee, chances are you're already familiar with a corporate wellness program. Aimed at maintaining employee health and thus lowering healthcare and disability costs, corporate wellness programs are a smart investment for the company.



A recent study at Prudential Insurance reported a 20 percent reduction in disability days and a 32 percent reduction in disability-per-capita costs after the company introduced a wellness program. Furthermore, yearly medical expenditures dropped by 46 percent.



As an employee, the benefits to you are quite substantial. Many corporate wellness programs include free health screenings, including cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar tests. After performing these tests and measuring your height, weight and heart rate, many programs will assess your risks for certain conditions and diseases, and help you take action.



If you have a weight problem, many corporate wellness programs offer Weight Watchers™ meetings each week to assist you in learning how to eat right. These group sessions also provide the support and motivation needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If Weight Watchers™ is not available in your area, some employers offer other programs, such as the state of Tennessee's "Peel the Pounds" program. In their program, 70 percent of participants lost between 1 and 19 pounds.



If your company does not have a corporate wellness program, consider suggesting the idea to a human resources representative.

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